The problem with being a somewhat clumsy, physical big who battles down low all game is that he will be getting tangled up under the basket trying to get positioning. That will just lead to players getting heated, have an extracurricular shove or two, and the refs will just call a double technical, because they didn’t see who started it and just don’t care.

This isn’t good for Perkins and the Celtics if they are hoping to keep him on the court to offset Pau Gasol in the paint (not to shut him down, but to play Gasol more physical than he has so far in these playoffs). It would behoove the Lakers to have anybody take a technical for the team to Perkins out for a game-plus.

If I were Doc, and just concede that this is inevitable, I would hope that it happens in Game 1. This way he can contribute in the first game, sit for the second game which is on the road (i.e., not likely to win that one), and have a rested Perkins who can play without being so concerned with technicals for the remainder of the series.

The NBA has decided that the Boston Celtics will play the second game of the opening series against the Miami Heat without Kevin Garnett.

I guess the old strategy of having a lesser player try to provoke your opponents best player has worked for Miami.

Quentin Richardson will just have to pay $25K for his actions within the fight (like being the root cause), but at least he will be able to play for Miami, who is looking to even the series in Boston on Tuesday.

There doesn’t seem to be much mention of the fact that KG was grabbed by four people from the Miami side just before the elbow was thrown.

Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls also had a comment about the situation, calling Garnett a dirty player. I don’t know man, I’ve seen Noah play a few times, and I wouldn’t exactly describe his style as clean.

I guess one positive aspect of KG having to sit out a game is that he’ll be able to at least rest his legs and shoulder for a few more days. But with Glen Davis and Rasheed Wallace having to fill in those minutes for Kevin and their knack for giving away cheap fouls, this might be a long night for the Cs. If the defense can limit Dwyane Wade again, they might have a shot of stealing Game 2 heading to Miami.

Regardless, what seemed like a pretty physical game already will definitely be escalated in the games to come. Get your icepacks ready.